This list is far from complete. It’s not even trying to be complete. It knows better than that. It just wants to be helpful and provide some inspiration here and there; you know, offer little suggestions that might lead to bigger ideas. (Especially by using the words offered as Wikipedia searches!)
Feel free to make suggestions in the comments! If I like it, I’ll add it to the list! If I don’t like it, well, hey, maybe someone else will! (I think that’s enough exclamation marks for now!)
Weather
- Natural: sunlight, rain, snow, hail, fog, humidity, moonlight, wind, smoke, clouds, shadows, overcast skies, clear skies, lightning, hurricanes, tornadoes, moon in sky during daytime
- Fantastic: summoned weather, unnatural coloration (eg. green fog)
Terrain
- Natural: mud, hills, canyons & ravines, tall grass, thick undergrowth, rocky ground, soft dirt, woods & forests (tree roots, plant density), caves, lagoons, sand, tide pools, rivers & streams (fast, slow, soft-bottom, rocky-bottom, deep, shallow), waterfalls (shallow, tall, wide, narrow), cliffs & cliff faces, swamps & marshes, beaches & shore fronts, lava fields
- Artificial: shipping yards and warehouses full of crates and barrels, partially finished buildings (wood beams, planks & tools), alleyways, cobblestones, rooftops, bridges, canals
- Fantastic: magic-infused or -antipathy areas, magically animated features
Changes
- Natural: sunrise, sunset, storms, seasons, earthquakes, landslides, sinkholes, animal migrations, inside vs. outside (light adaptation), plagues/famine, weathering, floods, tides, animal hunting habits & territories, volcanoes, fires
- Artificial: buildings, statues, roads being built & demolished; political power struggles; invasions/war; kidnappings
- Fantastic: divine will, powerful magic, gods (dis)appearing
Landmarks
- Natural: stone outcropping, lightening struck trees, large boulders, waterfalls
- Artificial: lone buildings (eg. towers, houses, barns), statues, signs/markers, border walls
- Fantastic: large skeletons (eg. dragons, giants)
After-Effects of Events
- fire spell scorch-marks, dead people & monsters, looted treasure caches, monster tracks & other effects on environment, discarded potion bottles & other equipment (like roadside trash), abandoned/ruined buildings
Tricks
- poisons, diseases, & traps
- mechanical devices, magic rituals, & other things needing to be undone/stopped
- misdirections: false alarms, misinformation, inaccurate rumors
Cultures
- rich vs. poor neighborhoods: different things available, difference in quality and prices
- social norms: styles of dress and speech, forms of address, foods, coming-of-age rituals, family units (monogamous, polygamous), creation myths, religious beliefs (two cultures can have different views, & practices re: same god), opinion of magic, matriarchal vs. patriarchal vs. egalitarian (See also.)
Mysticism
- prophecies, good & bad omens (comets, eclipses, supernovas, etc.), birthmarks, superstitions, divination, precognition, dreams, visions
Events Unfolding
- things happening as the protagonists watch (possibly powerless to act)
- things happening while the protagonists are busy elsewhere
- unforeseen consequences of actions
Harsh Situations
- fatigue, hunger, thirst, extreme temperatures
- enemy territories (invading? investigating? infiltrating?)
6 comments
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Kiara
June 2, 2011 at 5:36 am (UTC 0) Link to this comment
In Weather, ‘lightening’ is supposed to be lightning.
DigitalDraco
June 3, 2011 at 6:14 pm (UTC 0) Link to this comment
Oops. I know that. Thanks for the typo catch!
Iain of Rockhold, Salushen
July 30, 2011 at 1:33 am (UTC 0) Link to this comment
This is fantastic!
It’s really going to help with my D&D campaign. Thank you so much for taking the time to write this!
Draco
August 14, 2011 at 10:06 pm (UTC 0) Link to this comment
Glad you like it! Thanks for commenting to let me know!
Lily
March 8, 2012 at 3:08 am (UTC 0) Link to this comment
Very interesting and useful.
Colm
July 16, 2012 at 1:00 pm (UTC 0) Link to this comment
This will really help me for short story writing thanks!
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February 5, 2011 at 5:52 pm (UTC 0) Link to this comment
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Draco, Scott. Scott said: This is a good list: RT @digitaldraco: Themes & Things To Keep In Mind When Writing Fantasy Adventures (a list): http://is.gd/hCeBXy #dnd [...]
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December 7, 2011 at 12:46 am (UTC 0) Link to this comment
[...] Themes & Things To Keep In Mind When Writing Fantasy Stories and… – StumbleUpon social norms: styles of dress and speech, forms of address, foods, coming-of-age rituals, family units (monogamous, polygamous), creation myths, religious beliefs (two cultures can have different views, & practices re: same god), opinion of magic, matriarchal vs. patriarchal vs. egalitarian ( See also. ) [...]
Writing | Pearltrees
January 19, 2012 at 8:13 pm (UTC 0) Link to this comment
[...] social norms: styles of dress and speech, forms of address, foods, coming-of-age rituals, family units (monogamous, polygamous), creation myths, religious beliefs (two cultures can have different views, & practices re: same god), opinion of magic, matriarchal vs. patriarchal vs. egalitarian ( See also. ) Mysticism rich vs. poor neighborhoods: different things available, difference in quality and prices prophecies, good & bad omens (comets, eclipses, supernovas, etc.), birthmarks, superstitions, divination, precognition, dreams, visions Cultures Themes & Things To Keep In Mind When Writing Fantasy Stories and Adventures & Daily Encounte… [...]
Writing | Pearltrees
March 20, 2012 at 3:51 pm (UTC 0) Link to this comment
[...] Themes & Things To Keep In Mind When Writing Fantasy Stories and Adventures » Daily Encounter social norms: styles of dress and speech, forms of address, foods, coming-of-age rituals, family units (monogamous, polygamous), creation myths, religious beliefs (two cultures can have different views, & practices re: same god), opinion of magic, matriarchal vs. patriarchal vs. egalitarian ( See also. ) Mysticism rich vs. poor neighborhoods: different things available, difference in quality and prices prophecies, good & bad omens (comets, eclipses, supernovas, etc.), birthmarks, superstitions, divination, precognition, dreams, visions Cultures [...]
Writing | Pearltrees
April 1, 2012 at 4:37 pm (UTC 0) Link to this comment
[...] social norms: styles of dress and speech, forms of address, foods, coming-of-age rituals, family units (monogamous, polygamous), creation myths, religious beliefs (two cultures can have different views, & practices re: same god), opinion of magic, matriarchal vs. patriarchal vs. egalitarian ( See also. ) Mysticism rich vs. poor neighborhoods: different things available, difference in quality and prices prophecies, good & bad omens (comets, eclipses, supernovas, etc.), birthmarks, superstitions, divination, precognition, dreams, visions Cultures Themes & Things To Keep In Mind When Writing Fantasy Stories and Adventures » Daily Encounter [...]
Creativity | Pearltrees
April 24, 2012 at 9:02 am (UTC 0) Link to this comment
[...] Themes & Things To Keep In Mind When Writing Fantasy Stories and Adventures « Daily Encounter social norms: styles of dress and speech, forms of address, foods, coming-of-age rituals, family units (monogamous, polygamous), creation myths, religious beliefs (two cultures can have different views, & practices re: same god), opinion of magic, matriarchal vs. patriarchal vs. egalitarian ( See also. ) Mysticism rich vs. poor neighborhoods: different things available, difference in quality and prices prophecies, good & bad omens (comets, eclipses, supernovas, etc.), birthmarks, superstitions, divination, precognition, dreams, visions Cultures [...]